From The Beatles to One Direction,

our life would be without the fierce fervor of a teenage girl. Beyond that, think of how different our world would be without them! For example, would we have history-making, generation-defining musicians like Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish without them? I think it’s safe to say no, considering that they began their careers as teenage girls themselves.

Can we simply let people like what they like without brutally obliterating them with harsh criticism? There is so much hatred already in the world — why must we start to drag down the things that people love? It doesn’t make you any cooler or more mature to hate something just because it is liked by a lot of people or a certain demographic. It just makes you look small-minded and, honestly, kind of lame.

Obviously, people are allowed to have different tastes. We all like what we like. I’m not insisting that you should devote your life to worshipping Emma Chamberlain or only listening to BTS. However, I am asking you to self-reflect and make sure that the reason you don’t like something isn’t merely because a bunch of teenage girls do. Not a fan of pop music because you prefer a heavier sound? No worries — to each their own! Not a fan of pop music because it’s primarily liked by teenage girls? Not cool.

The notion to respect others’ interests extends to all ages of life. No matter who you are or how old you are, you should be considerate to those younger or older than you and what they like. If you are a teenage girl, don’t discount something just because your parents like it. If you’re a parent, don’t discredit your kids’ interests in certain musicians or movies just because you want to feel like a superior adult that is above those things. Expanding our interests beyond the boxes we put ourselves in can allow us to learn new things about ourselves and others.

The time of overlooking teenage girls and their cultural impact is over. The next time you hear a teenage girl raving about her favorite TV show, movie or musician, online or in-person, try listening! They might just be setting the stage for pop culture’s next biggest thing. Or, who knows, you might just discover your next favorite thing as well.